


Mamamoo Oneshots: The 4 Queens of Jeju

by Flaw_lostin94



Category: Mamamoo
Genre: Card Games, Challenges, Double Life, Drinking, Gambling, Illegal Activities, Mentioned Ahn Hyejin | Hwasa, Mentioned Jung Wheein, Mentioned Kim Seokjin | Jin, Mentioned Kim Yongsun | Solar, Mentioned Mamamoo Ensemble, Mentioned Moon Byulyi | Moonbyul, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Other Fandoms Not Mentioned in Tags, The Author Regrets Nothing, This Author is Inactive, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27929719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flaw_lostin94/pseuds/Flaw_lostin94
Summary: Rumor has it that the fabled 4 Queens of Jeju are the four richest females in South Korea. How did they amass their wealth? Through their own luck, of course. Blessed with their skilled hands and quick thinking, they have gained quite a reputation amongst the casinos.This series will have one update per week.
Kudos: 6





	1. Who Are the 4 Queens of Jeju?

The 4 Queens of Jeju are notorious in South Korea. Their visits to Jeju Island's casinos are legendary, turning heads whenever they enter the room, and you can be sure that they always put on a show for their audience.

Queen of Spades: Kim Yongsun (Solar)  
Famous for her beauty that attracts many men to support her  
Don't get on her bad side: you will die a lovely but painful death  
Her chosen game is Blackjack  
Personality traits: cunning, mischievous, sweet, talkative

Queen of Diamonds: Moon Byulyi (Moonbyul)  
The boss of a criminal organization whose name is unknown  
Owns most of the casinos on Jeju Island and has international reaches as well  
Her chosen game is Mahjong  
Personality traits: cold, ruthless, highly intelligent, supportive

Queen of Clubs: Jung Wheein (Wheein)  
Used to be poor, earning reputation and wealth through hustles in the streets  
Poker face is always on, even in conversations  
Her chosen game is Rummy  
Personality: quiet, serious, cautious, secretive

Queen of Hearts: Ahn Hyejin (Hwasa)  
The daughter of a very famous chaebol in South Korea  
Left the business to make a name for herself  
Her chosen game is Roulette  
Personality: LUCKY, passionate, distrustful, fierce

Visual inspiration for this series: https://dbkpop.com/2020/10/16/mamamoo-dingga-teaser-wheein-moonbyul-teaser-photos-hd-hq

This series will have one update per week.


	2. Hey, Piano Man~ Pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the 4 Queens of Jeju were brought together by the alluring piano man at their resident casino.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mamamoo's 'Piano Man' will set the scene for this oneshot.
> 
> **DISCLAIMER: mentioned places and setting in this chapter are merely a coincidence and do not actually coincide with the real life places they are inspired by.**
> 
> Special thanks to user Mthaelly for beta reading this chapter~

In South Korea, the law forbids native-born Koreans to partake in any matters pertaining to gambling, marking it as illegal. The consequences for locals partaking in gambling are a potential three-year prison sentence and prosecution. While gambling is a highly frowned-upon practice in South Korea, casinos annually account for a large chunk of revenue and the average Korean is 2-3 times more likely to suffer from gambling addiction.

Main reference: https://www.hapskorea.com/south-koreas-complex-relationship-with-gambling/

  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  


Paradise Casino in Jeju Island is one of the biggest tourist attractions in South Korea, raking in loads of revenue with its high-stakes games and popular nighttime shows and performances.

It is precisely why Gong Chansik, one of the most sought-out piano players in South Korea, was just recently hired by Paradise Casino to perform his notorious jazz pieces in an effort to attract more tourists - _plus_ _attention and profit_ \- for the casino. 

Chansik briskly walked to the casino's back entrance where the workers entered, the briefcase of his best pieces in hand. Glancing at his Rolex, the time read 5:10 pm; precisely fifty minutes left for him to have his hair and makeup done. A suit had already been fitted for him, and his piano and jazz orchestra were ready. Tonight's performance would have to be a special one, one that captivates and effortlessly earns the applause and admiration of the crowd. 

After all, Paradise Casino was having their annual "Poker Paradise Competition'', and people from far and wide would be present to see him play and his songs needed to be played perfectly to start off the night’s event.

\---

Kim Yongsun sat at her vanity applying pink eyeshadow to her lids, humming the song she would sing as the starter for the “Poker Paradise Competition”. She rolled a tube of pink lipstick over her lips, smacking them lightly, before flashing her best smile in the mirror. As always, she looked stunning; face alight with a soft, seductive glow. Satisfied with her makeup, she leaned back in her chair and checked her phone. 

The time read 5:30 pm; time to go backstage and conduct the final checks. 

Yongsun stood up, wrapping her feather boa around her arms, and adjusted her sparkling white dress so her heels wouldn’t trip on it. Her mind wandered to the recently-hired jazz piano player -  _ Gong Chansik _ . She had heard many things about him, how his jazz pieces attracted international fame, how you could ask him to play any piece and he would do it flawlessly; how he was always gentlemanly when he interacted with others. And most notably of all, how he was devilishly handsome. 

She blushed at her thoughts until a knock on her door snapped her back to reality.

“Come in.”  _ Speak of the devil _ . The door opened to reveal Gong Chansik himself, dressed sharply in a tuxedo and a black fedora.

“Good evening, Miss Solar. If you don’t mind, I’d like to personally escort you to the rehearsals,” he said with a smile.

“No, I don’t mind one bit,” Yongsun replied with a sweet smile of her own. She wrapped a hand around his arm and together, they walked off to the stage, making amicable, and almost flirty, conversation.

\---

Moon Byulyi lit up a cigarette in her limo, blowing the smoke out of the window as she gazed at the Jeju skyline passing by in a blur. 

Tonight, Paradise Casino was going to have its annual “Poker Paradise Competition” and it was vital that she be there. Paradise Casino was one of the casinos under her ownership and one of the few that secretly allowed native-born Koreans to participate in gambling, provided you pay the protection fee. This meant that tonight, there would be many to collect fees from - some who may just be spectators or some who are eager to play and win. 

She also expects to collect her overdue shares that the board members owed her and update the new piano player on exactly how she ran her businesses. Sneaking a glance at the time in her limo, it read 5:40 pm. She was still on schedule, and it had better stay that way.

She flicked the ashes of her cigarette to the wind, wrapping her black coat closer around her shoulders before opening the tiny sliding panel where the driver’s seat was located.

“Seokjin, please call the board members and tell them that I would like to have a meeting with all of them when I arrive.”

“Yes, Moonbyul-sir,” Seokjin replied politely in the rearview mirror before Byulyi slid the sliding panel shut again. In a few seconds, Seokjin was already dialing the board members while she prepared her  _ Para-Ordnance P18.9’s _ , sliding the magazines in.

This was going to be a long night if they weren’t planning to cooperate.

\---

Jung Wheein entered Paradise Casino with quite the entrance. Boasting a pair of baggy ripped jeans, a floral-patterned crop top, and a bright red jacket, she was a stark contrast to everyone else; garnering stares from the more well-dressed guests. Wheein didn’t care much for it, beelining for the bar on the left side of the room.

“Perfect vodka martini, stirred and up please.”

As she waited for her drink, she swiveled around in her swivel stool, leaning with her elbows on the counter to observe her surroundings. The lobby of Paradise Casino was crowded with numerous guests, all waiting for the “Poker Paradise Competition” to start. 

_ My kind of environment _ , she mused. Eager guests tend to focus more on the competition, which means easy pickpocketing opportunities and, taking into consideration the manner in which most guests were dressed for the night, larger rewards. 

She grabbed her martini, thanking the bartender, and went off on her way. She looked up at one of the big clocks on the wall, the time reading 5:50 pm. All that was left to do now was to find a good seat, enjoy her drink, and wait for the night to begin.

\---

Ahn Hyejin handed over the red-jacketed girl’s order and slid it over the counter. She went back to polishing the many glasses that would eventually be served tonight, mentally going over her shift in her head.

_ Bartender shift ends at 6:30 pm, then on to the roulette table to earn some money _ , Hyejin thought.  _ Ah, which reminds me. I need to organize the roulette table soon. _

“Red wine, please,” She heard a male call out from the counter. She looked up to see Gong Chansik, her new fellow coworker, seated and giving her a smile.

“What kind of red wine?” she asked.

“Château Lafite.” Hyejin poured him a quarter of a glass and passed it on to him, watching as he took a sip.

“Don’t you have a show to do in about seven minutes?” He shrugged.

“Thought I’d sneak a drink in first before then, you know, calm the nerves.”

Chansik set down his finished glass, his cheeks slightly flushed from the alcohol. He was about to take out his wallet and pay for the drink before Hyejin stopped him.

“On the house.” She smirked.

“You sure? Château Lafite is expensive.”

“Aigoo, it’s fine.”

“Thanks, Hwasa,” Chansik gave a small, appreciative bow before buttoning up his tux and heading back to the stage. Hyejin nodded and smiled back.

“This new alias seems to be working out well,” She thought to herself, pouring some Château Lafite and sitting down on her own swivel stool to watch the show.

\---

It’s now 6pm. and Paradise Casino is just beginning to liven up. The curtains opened and the spotlights shone on the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Gong Chansik, the renowned jazz pianist, and our resident shining-star singer, Solar!”

Gong Chansik’s fingers spurred to action and Solar began to sing her melodious notes.

_ “I’m ready for some action. Are you ready for perfection? Hey piano man~” _

The crowd cheered; Solar smiled. Chansik and the jazz orchestra began to pick up the pace and play the song in full swing.

Wheein and Hwasa watched the performance with half-hearted interest from either side of the room, sipping on their drinks respectively.

Moonbyul stepped through the main entrance with her main guard, Seokjin, at her side and the rest of her henchman following her in suit.

Tonight was a special night, everyone knew. However, little did they know how  _ special _ it would be, for four people in particular.

The chorus reverberated throughout the entire casino.

_ Hey piano man, chumeul chuneun neoui sonjisi... _

_ The piano man, ppeonhaji anheun geu momjisi… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **continued in pt 2 next week**


	3. Hey, Piano Man~ Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the 4 Queens of Jeju were brought together by the alluring piano man at their resident casino.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mamamoo's 'Piano Man' will be the inspiration for this oneshot.
> 
> **DISCLAIMER: mentioned places and setting in this chapter are merely a coincidence and do not actually coincide with the real life places they are inspired by.**

The crowd cheered with applause as the final note ended on Gongchan and Solar’s performance. Sharp whistles reverberated throughout the hall and red roses were thrown on the stage. Solar’s smile beamed brightly while Gongchan gave a polite bow before the curtains closed.

With that, the “Poker Paradise Competition” was underway.

\---

At around 7 pm, the remaining contestants participating in the competition with their respective dealers were all seated in the center of the hall at bright green tables. An anxious silence had fallen over everyone as the audience held their breath and the players’ eyes darted to one another.

But that was not the case for everyone.

Hwasa mindlessly managed the roulette table in the right corner of the hall, now dressed in a dealer’s outfit much less flashy than her bartender one. Every once in a while, a couple of bystanders would get bored of Poker and come to her for a change in game, only to lose much more miserably. Hence, Hwasa sat with her chin in her hand, daydreaming into space.

However, it wasn’t long when Gong Chansik casually walked up to Hwasa, having also gotten bored of the Poker show. Hwasa gave a small smile, glad to have some company.

“Care for a game?” she sweetly asked.

“Not a game, sorry. A chat will suffice,” Chansik chuckled, sliding behind the table to sit beside Hwasa in the dealer’s area. “No business today?”

“Oh no, I did have business, but unfortunately, I’m too good at roulette for my customers,” Hwasa said with a smirk, tilting her head to the area where the chips were kept. In a gray tray, the chips neatly kept in rows were about to overflow from the top edge. Gongchan raised his eyebrows in approval.

“Wow, that’s quite a haul. Where did you learn how to play?”

“Nowhere really. The board members just gave me a pamphlet of the roulette rules and I worked my way from there. Plus, I’ve got luck on my side.”

As Chansik and Hwasa sat at the table continuing their talk, they didn’t notice a pair of angry eyes glaring at them from the side of the hall. Solar huffed and wrapped her boa tighter around her arms before briskly making her way over to the oblivious pair.

“Hello!” she exclaimed, interrupting the two’s conversation sweetly with a wide smile. A bit too sweetly.

“Ah, hello Yongsun! I was just having a chat with our coworker, Hwasa,” Chansik innocently spoke with a grin.

“So I noticed! But, Gongchan sweetie, you said you would take me out for dinner after our performance,” Solar continued saying with her sugar-sweet smile.

“Oh, I did? I-um-I don’t remember saying that, however--” Chansik politely stuttered, trying to recall the memory of whether he had or hadn’t, before Hwasa finished his sentence for him.

“You know, if you don’t remember saying it, it most likely means you never said it at all,” Hwasa responded to Chansik and was now matching Solar’s glare with an equally angry one of her own. She didn’t know what Solar was up to, but all she knew was that Chansik, the poor fellow, was about to get caught up in some nasty business with her and she had to stop it.

“Excuse me?” Solar said in a high-pitch tone, feigning being offended.

“You heard me, Solar.”

“And who are you to meddle with my business with Chansik?”

“I’m Chansik’s friend. Who are  _ you _ to him?”

“I’m his date for tonight!”

“Don’t bullshit me, Solar. I know how eager you get when it comes to our good-looking coworkers.”

“You’re calling me a whore now?”

“Maybe I am.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you look like some untamed lion all the time.”

“The fuck did you just call me?”

“You heard me, Hwasa.”

“Um, excuse me, hate to interrupt your catfight,” Chansik started. “but I think my wallet is gone…”

“Then find it!” Both women shouted at him in unison, causing poor Chansik to jump back into the wall.

As Chansik tried to find his wallet while the two girls resumed their bickering, Moonbyul had just come down the stairs, having finished her ‘meeting’ with the board members. Thankfully, it had gone well as a small smile worked its way into Moonbyul’s face. She passed her  _ Para Ordinances  _ to Seokjin who took them and put them back in a case. Moonbyul immediately spotted Chansik in the roulette corner and made her way over to him with Seokjin and her henchman trailing behind her like a funeral march.

“Are you Gong Chansik?” she asked him.

“Um, yes, why--?”

“Check his ID,” Moonbyul’s henchman immediately began to feel his pockets for his wallet.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Chansik yelled, attracting the attention of Hwasa and Solar and a few of the bystanders in the Poker competition.

“Hey, leave him alone!” Hwasa yelled fiercely, putting herself between Chansik and the henchman.

“Ya, I’m supposed to be having dinner with him right now!” Solar yelled as well at Moonbyul. Luckily, she didn’t see Hwasa burning daggers at the back of her head, her glare only saying “I’ll deal with you later”.

“This is none of your business. Escort both of them away from here,” Moonbyul nonchalantly motioned to the henchmen again who proceeded to drag both women away from the roulette corner as they screamed and kicked.

However, at that moment, another two henchmen carried in through the entrance a woman with a red jacket, lugging her by her arms as she struggled to break free.

“Moonbyul-sir, we’ve managed to capture that pickpocket that has been wandering around this casino for a while now. She’s managed to get your purse as well as the wallet of a certain Gong Chansik.”

A brief expression of shock crossed Moonbyul’s face as she felt around for her purse that was supposed to have been in the pocket of her trench coat. After realizing it was not a farce, she took both her purse and wallet, tucking the purse away once more and opening the wallet to look at Gong Chansik’s ID for herself. Moonbyul looked back and forth between the ID and the frightened man who pressed himself against the wall.

“Take Mr. Gong and bring him outside,” was all Moonbyul uttered.

However, as soon as the words left Moonbyul’s lips, all hell broke loose once more.

Moonbyul’s henchman tried to make a beeline for the man, but both Hwasa and Solar stood in front of him, trying to fend them off. At that same moment, Wheein had broken free of the guards holding her arms and tried to make a run for the main entrance. She didn’t get very far, however, as the same two guards tackled her to the ground, causing her to slip on the red carpet laid on the floor. The three women were now thrashing and flailing about, sounding out high-pitched screams as they struggled against Moonbyul’s henchmen. Moonbyul had just about reached her limit of patience, signaling for Seokjin to hand her her gun to deal with these women, when a spotlight shone directly upon them, putting a halt to the mess. Everyone shielded their eyes against the brightness, and, when their vision cleared, almost all eyes present in the casino were now upon them.

“Well, well, what have we  _ here _ ?” the announcer’s voice from before reverberated throughout the hall, the spotlight shifting to each of the four women. It ultimately landed on Chansik who had squeezed himself right behind the roulette table. The announcer gave a chuckle through the microphone.

“Seems our new pianist has gotten himself in a bit of trouble with the ladies, eh? Not too surprising when he’s got such a handsome face.”

None of the women said a word, all staying frozen in their spot, staring blankly at the stage where the announcer stood.

“Oh, come  _ on _ ! Lighten up--! Well, I’ll tell you what, how about this? Since the competition has ended, how about you folks in the audience prepare yourselves for one more round of Poker? Four  _ beautiful ladies _ , competing for the ultimate prize: our much-too-handsome jazz pianist,  _ Gong Chansik _ ?”

The audience whistled and applauded in approval at the announcer’s preposition. Solar was the first to snap out of the shock of what was happening. She slapped off the henchman’s hands gripping her elbows and stepped forward in the direction of the announcer, the spotlight immediately turning to shine on her movements.

“You got yourself a deal, hun!” she screamed for the crowd to hear, her smile deadly as she soaked in the applause of her agreement. She turned around to face the others, holding out a finger towards them. “I’ll be the one to win this game and take Chansik for myself! Y’all accept the game? Or are the whole lot of you a bunch of cowards?” she challenged.

“I accept,” Hwasa challenged back with an electrifying stare that matched Solar’s, stepping forward after roughly shrugging off the arms that held her in place.

“I accept as well,” Moonbyul followed, shrugging her trench coat off and handing it to Seokjin while rolling up the sleeves of her shirt.

The spotlight shone on Wheein’s face who was still lying on the floor and the audience held their breath as they waited for her response. She sighed heavily, knowing there was no way she could weasel her way out of this one now.

“I accept,” she finally said, raising a hand in surrender.

The audience roared, making a way for them to walk to the Poker table in the center of the room. Little did they know that they would get more than the show they asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **continued in pt 3**


	4. Hey, Piano Man~ Pt 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the 4 Queens of Jeju were brought together by the alluring piano man at their resident casino.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mamamoo's 'Piano Man' will be the inspiration for this oneshot.
> 
> **DISCLAIMER: mentioned places and setting in this chapter are merely a coincidence and do not actually coincide with the real life places they are inspired by.**

The audience was nearly impenetrable, their bodies tightly pressed side by side with their necks craning to get a glimpse of the show in the center.

The four women were sitting anxiously at the Poker table, waiting for the dealer to do something.

“We will be playing Blackjack poker,” the dealer finally announced, after shuffling the cards for what seemed to be an eternity. “I assume you ladies know the rules?”

Wheein, Moonbyul, Hwasa, and Solar all gave a slight nod.

“Whoever is the closest to twenty-one will get him,” the announcer on the stage pointed to Chansik, who was standing at the center behind Moonbyul and Hwasa looking like he was about to start pissing himself on cue. “But, if the dealer wins,” the announcer gave a menacing, toothy grin, “all of you will be taken to prison for participating in illegal gambling.”

The four women shifted uncomfortably in their seats at this prospect. But they didn’t let their nerves show on their faces.  _ All they had to do, _ all of them thought,  _ was have someone win and it will be them. _

“Let’s start. Place your bets,” the dealer motioned to the table. Wheein began with a $500 chip, not too big nor too small. Moonbyul, however, shoved her entire heap of chips into the center, earning dramatic gasps from the audience. The other women’s eyes gawked at her in belief.

“What?” Moonbyul asked gruffly. “We are just playing one round, are we not? First winner takes all so might as well.”

The dealer, looking a bit haggard due to the sudden unconventional move, straightened her suit and silently questioned the skill and sanity of the women before him. She asked Wheein if she would like to change her bet to match Moonbyul’s to which she wordlessly threw her chip back into the pile before pushing it into the center as well. The remaining two women followed as well. No one planned on backing down at all tonight, and all of them silently knew that the one who dared to would be exposing themselves as a pitiful coward.

The dealer then handed Wheein the deck, signaling for her to cut. Wheein placed two fingers on each side separating a random amount which she placed in front of the dealer. Everyone’s eyes followed the dealer’s swift hands as he distributed the cards clockwise, starting from Wheein.

Wheein got the 6 of Clubs,

Moonbyul the 6 of Diamonds,

Hwasa the 7 of Hearts,

Solar the 3 of Spades,

And the dealer got the 2 of Spades.

The second round of dealing commenced.

Wheein: 4 of Diamonds

Moonbyul: 9 of Clubs

Hwasa: 8 of Spades

Solar: Jack of Hearts

The dealer’s card was dealt face down.

Hence, began the crucial third round.

Wheein was nowhere close to twenty-one thankfully. She scratched the poker table signaling for another card which was handed face down. Unbeknownst to her, it was an Ace of Hearts.

Moonbyul also decided to hit, thinking her score of 15 could be pushed a bit farther. Her face down card was a 6 of Spades.

Hwasa also hit with the same score as Moonbyul. She received the 6 of Hearts.

Solar followed suit, scratching the green felt to hit. She got the 8 of Diamonds.

Everyone’s breath seemed to be held in all at once as the dealer took a card for herself, placing it face down beside the other two cards.

The card from the second round was turned over. It was the King of Clubs. The dealer’s fingers reached to turn over the third card. If the dealer bust right here, it would be guaranteed that one of the women would have a chance.

The third card was revealed. The 10 of Diamonds. The audience gave a bout of applause, cheering on the women who they think would win this game.

The dealer, disappointed she had busted, maintained her composure. She swept an arm over the table. “When I count to three, ladies, please reveal your cards.”

The tension was now at an all-time high. No one said anything, but they could feel each other’s hearts racing, praying that they would be the one to win and get this night over with already. 

They turned the cards over at once.

And their eyes all widened. The crowd gasped and murmured in shock.

Each of the ladies’ cards were exactly equal to twenty-one.

For the rest of the night, no one was able to say a word, staring back and forth between the cards, each of the women, the dealer, and each other.

\---

In summary, Chansik had secretly left. After seeing the four-way draw, it was too much for him to handle to have the same four women fighting over him again. Hence, he edged his way out of the crowd before anyone could notice, hailed a cab near the entrance, and got as far away from Paradise Casino as he possibly could.

The next day, Chansik, having sorted out his mania, gathered his things and immediately filed a notice of his self-dismissal with the board members. Of course, it wouldn’t be the end to Chansik’s career, immediately taking a new job a few days later at a luxurious hotel, where he played peacefully to his heart’s content.

Much to the women’s disappointment (only Solar’s and Hwasa’s disappointment actually), they never saw Chansik again except in passing in the newspaper or on TV. However, since that fateful day with the four-way draw, it had been the only thing on their minds for a while.

It was several weeks before all four of them saw one another again at Paradise Casino. During that second encounter, when they had briefly glanced at each other, something had seemed to pass by in understanding. An unspoken agreement was made between them, confirmed by barely-seen smiles etched on their lips.

Days became weeks, and weeks became months, and those same months turned into years. Over time, the four women grew closer. Until one day, an unlikely question came from Solar:

_ “Do you think we should have a moniker for our group?” _

Thus, the 4 Queens of Jeju, named after the Queens in the card deck, came to be.

**_**END**_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeey!! You finally reached the end of the beginning!
> 
> Oneshots next week onwards for this series will now be in a similar format to Tales of Blue Hour's Residents, chronicling the games and events of the 4 Queens of Jeju.
> 
> Anyways apologies if the Blackjack game was weird (cuz I literally have never played it before myself TT) but hope you enjoy the general backstory of our Queens. See y'all next week!


	5. A Typical Queen Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small filler oneshot of what the Queens do when they hang out with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mamamoo's 'Wind Flower' will set the scene for this oneshot.
> 
> **DISCLAIMER: mentioned places and setting in this chapter are merely a coincidence and do not actually coincide with the real life places they are inspired by.**

“So what do you want to do tonight?” Solar asked the others.

“Drink, walk from bar to bar, the usual,” Wheein interjected mindlessly.

“We’ll all meet at the rendezvous,” Moonbyul pointed out.

“See you all there, don’t be late,” Hwasa ended the phone call.

\---

The nights they don’t spend at Paradise Casino, they spend in each other’s company.

It started out as Moonbyul renting a private VIP room in the casino for all of them where they would just play cards and drink soju. Then, it moved to one of Wheein’s shoplot vacancies where they would also play cards and drink soju. Then, it moved to Solar’s dressing room and then to Hwasa’s house.

It eventually became trying to travel all the way around Jeju searching for bars, pubs, and restaurants, alternating the east and west bus routes each gathering. Unfortunately, they managed to hit every single one of them in four months.

Ultimately, they all just went  _ “fuck it” _ . Jeju Island simply wasn’t big enough for the four of them. Their trips to Seoul on the mainland occurred every Monday to Wednesday where there were countless places for them to hang out, much more than on Jeju.

After all, why only stay in one spot when you were free to go wherever you wished? That was the case with the four Queens.

\---

So it was on a Wednesday night, the Queens met on a crowded street in Itaewon, Seoul. They usually met at this unofficial rendezvous point because in any of the four directions, the area was filled with various bars, pubs, and restaurants to hang out at. Choosing to go in a certain direction was important, as they would continue hitting all the spots, as many as they could in one night.

The women dressed up stylishly. To the ordinary people of Seoul, they were just four females looking for a good time. Not like on Jeju: wherever they went people knew who they were. To be anonymous once again in a city as large as Seoul was extremely refreshing for the four of them, fresh starts and all the freedom they needed like the Seoul city breeze.

“So which direction this time?” Wheein asked. “I say right.”

“I was thinking down, though,” Moonbyul said.

“We’ve only gone up a few times,” Hwasa followed.

“Well, we’ve all got one direction. How about this - let’s do ‘kawi-bawi-bo’--”

“Oh my god, do we have to?” Moonbyul complained as the other two groaned.

“Aish, y’all have any better ideas?” Solar said with her hands on her hips. The rest fell silent. “Thought so,” she smirked. “Just make it quick, so no one will see.”

Hwasa won in the end (may or may not be because of her extreme luck) and they started walking up the street. They kept their eyes peeled for the first bar/pub/restaurant they could find -- as well as to not let each other get run over by cars, their drivers impatient to get home or drink themselves away.

Not long after, they came upon a quaint bar called “Blacklist”, tucked away in a small street. In they went through the door one by one.

Their routine started off by sharing a bottle of vodka to get them warmed up. In the meantime, they would also begin on a topic of choice; usually it was one of Moonbyul’s crazy dealings. Being the boss of a criminal organization, interesting happenings were bound to happen daily. They’d laugh and drink until the topic ended or they simply didn’t like the atmosphere anymore and then moved on to the next stop.

And so it was like that, for the next five or so stops. Order a few drinks, talk about what happened in the lives’ of the Queens, laugh, more drinks, get bored of the place, topic ends, repeat.

This week, Moonbyul’s right-hand, Seokjin, had some funny incidents with the new henchmen. Moonbyul herself had been in the midst of a shootout with a warring drug lord. Wheein, in one night, had managed to swindle 100,000 won from a particularly wealthy (and naive) businessman. Solar was hooking up with a new man. He was the CEO of a franchise of jewelry shops in Seoul. She especially enjoyed his nightly “treatments” and “gifts”. Hwasa was nearly there setting up a casino of her own, just a matter of paying off the loans in a few months.

\---

You’d have thought that between a night singer, a crime boss, a hustler, and a chaebol’s daughter, they’d have no chance of ever striking up a connection with one another. But on this night, like all others, the four women laughed and drank and talked like normal people who had known each other their whole lives.

So by the time the night sky had mixed with the colors of the coming morning, and the women’s heels left the door of the last bar, they had drunk, laughed, and talked themselves full of one another.

They stopped near a food stall that had ice cream, walking to a park bench to sit down and eat together, munching silently as they watched the sun rise on a new day. Just then, a soft breeze blew through the hair strands of the women. It was the kind of breeze that seemed to heighten your senses temporarily, the kind that made you aware how appreciative you are of your current position in life.

A street performer across the street had set up camp and was now beginning to play the first song of the day.. The four women sat and listened to the guitar strums and the performer’s voice for a while.

_ “U-u-u-uriman ibyeorilkka? _

_ Du-du-du-duriman apahalkka? _

_ Dasi tto pieonal kkotnipcheoreom _

_ Get better day by day _

_ Get better day by day _

_ Baram bureo gibun joheun nal _

_ Honjaga doeeo holgabunhan bam _

_ U-u-u-uulhan nareun gago _

_ Get better day by day _

_ Get better day by day” _

They looked at one another before looking back at the sun. Life would be that breeze as long as they had each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite a short oneshot this time compared to the usual length I've written. Wasn't sure what to write this week, but I'll start coming up with ideas next week. Planning to focus on the personal backstories of each member so please look forward to it!


	6. Queen of Clubs: Hustle Life Pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Queen of Clubs, Jung Wheein's backstory. Will be divided into two parts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheein's 'Easy' ft Sik-K will set the scene for this oneshot.
> 
> **DISCLAIMER: mentioned places and setting in this chapter are merely a coincidence and do not actually coincide with the real life places they are inspired by.**

Wheein sat in the back of the barbeque restaurant alone. After ordering a bulgogi set, some kimchi, and a bottle of soju, she set to work organizing tonight’s haul after pulling on a pair of disposable gloves.

Tonight wasn’t bad: a grand total of twelve wallets and a coin purse. Making sure to not come off as suspicious, she would take out one of the stolen wallets from her many pockets in her red jacket every few minutes. She would then empty it of its cash, pocket any form of identification to either burn or shred, and then toss the limp, leather squares into the garbage bin located a quarter of a meter away from her table.

At the same time, she cooked her bulgogi, relishing in the mouthwatering smell as it sizzled on the grill before her. Occasionally, she would take her chopsticks, collect the meat on her serving plate, and let it cool while she sorted out a wallet.

This was basically Wheein’s schedule every night. After pickpocketing the wealthy men and women at Paradise Casino, she would scurry out of the place to this specific barbeque restaurant where she wouldn’t be disturbed, not even by the owner who was far too invested in the football games on the television.

She would usually stay for at least two hours, taking her sweet time. To others, she would just be a regular customer who simply ate her meal far too slow and in much-too-small bites. To her, it was just a simple cover-up to conduct her main business.

Grill some meat, empty a wallet, eat some food, drink some soju, and repeat until she was done. A meticulous process, especially when wearing the bothersome plastic gloves that are normally used for chicken wings or finger food to prevent her fingerprints from getting traced by the police. But hey, one has to do what one has to do right?

Wheein got done a bit faster tonight; probably because she was so used to this clockwork process she could even do it in her sleep. She tore off the gloves, took one last bite of everything plus a swig of soju, checked all her hard-earned money was present in the front pocket of her jacket, and left the restaurant.

She started on her way back to her two-room rental apartment, a ten-minute walk away from the restaurant. Even then, she took her sweet time as usual. After all, she has no need to rush as she lives alone.

Wheein stopped every now and then to observe her surroundings. She passed a convenience store where a group of male students were eagerly discussing what flavor of ramyeon to buy. She passed an intersection where she witnessed a taxi try to run a red light and almost crash into a family car who blared its horn, breaking the tranquil silence of the night. She passed by a herbal shop run by an elderly couple, helping each other to lock up the metal screen over the entrance while trying not to break their brittle bones.

She briefly took a glance at all these trivial things, ordinary necessities that ordinary people worry about in their daily lives, similar to her but, of course, much less interesting.

“HEY, THAT’S NOT FAIR!” Wheein heard someone shout.

Wheein stopped short in her footsteps and took a tiny peek around the corner of a wall that led to an alleyway. Normally, it would be empty, but today it was preoccupied by a group of men, probably some half-baked gangsters. They had been huddled around a table where a beggar sat behind hosting a classic, Three-Card Monte. Someone seemed to have caught the host doing sleight-of-hands and that was Wheein’s signal to stop looking and head to the other side of the street so she wouldn’t see the bloody fight that was about to ensue.

As Wheein continued walking back home (this time on the other side of the street for once), she thought back to her hustle days when she had been the one in the host seat.

\---

Ever since Wheein could remember, her family had been extremely poor. Born in a dilapidating flat, she remembered her mother working from day to night as a waitress in a restaurant in order to pay for her tuition fees. Hence, Wheein was usually left to her own devices after she got done with her homework, usually wandering around the streets of her town looking for spare change to get some candy.

It was on one of these runs that Wheein had first been exposed to the hidden world of hustling. While she couldn’t remember exactly what happened that day, she did remember how a beggar had taught her how to play the three-shells game he was notoriously famous for.

At the age of ten, she had robbed her first few won from a naive male worker under the beggar’s tutelage. She could remember her small self staring at the flimsy won bills clutched in her palm: her first few pieces of self-earned money.

“Congratulations, kiddo. You’re a hustler now,” the beggar had said to her.

“Can I learn more?” she had asked innocently.

“Of course,” the beggar said with a warm smile.

Since then, she visited that beggar everyday to learn all kinds of sleight-of-hand tricks from him: how to move a bead to another shell mid-motion, how to swap a Queen to another position while moving three cards at once, how to sneak out a slip of money from an unsuspecting person’s pocket and put it back in without suspicion, and more.

The police eventually came and caught the beggar for illegal gambling, however, and that was the last Wheein ever saw of him. No chance to say goodbye, no chance to help him; all she could do was watch as the poor man was dragged into the back of the police car in handcuffs and out of sight.

Wheein knew the dangers of the business she conducted; the beggar told her so as she practiced swapping playing cards. Getting caught by the police would result in prosecution and three or more years of prison. It was the same for all native South Koreans, regardless of age. After all, gambling was already a frowned upon practice in itself.

But at the time, Wheein didn’t have much choice, did she? Wheein’s mother was already working her ass off in that stinky restaurant every single day of the week. She barely scraped enough from the restaurant owner to be able to pay Wheein’s tuition fees as well as the rent of their lousy flat. The remaining money left (if there was any) was set aside for food, often barely enough to be able to feed both of them for only one month.

Wheein had already known, even at her young age, that she had to help out somehow, sooner or later. She had proved herself talented with hustles: the one skill she had that could potentially pull her and her mother out of the poverty they lived in. She just didn’t have to get caught.

By the time she was thirteen, Wheein took the beggar’s place in the town and now conducted her own hustles in a hidden alley - out of sight of police officers and tattlers. As her reputation increased, so did the amount of money she earned.

“Where do you get all this money from?” her mother asked one day at dinner.

“I’m helping out the auntie at the farm: milking cows and goats, feeding the pigs and chickens, that kind of stuff,” Wheein said, the lie effortlessly sliding off her lips.

It wasn’t a complete lie: Wheein  _ was _ helping the auntie farmer to do all of those chores as a side income. However, it was just a simple cover-up to conduct her main business. That was what the beggar had taught her after all: the hustle.

Before long, she made enough in a month to be able to pay off half of her own tuition fees, helping her to ease her mother’s work burden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **to be continued next week**


	7. Queen of Clubs: Hustle Life Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Queen of Clubs, Jung Wheein's backstory. Will be divided into two parts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheein's 'Easy' ft Sik-K will set the scene for this oneshot.
> 
> **DISCLAIMER: mentioned places and setting in this chapter are merely a coincidence and do not actually coincide with the real life places they are inspired by.**

That is, until she found out how Wheein earned the money.

**PAK, PAK, PAK**

“YOU STUPID BRAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO?”

“I DID IT FOR US, MOM! WE HAVE NO CHOICE!”

“YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANYTHING ELSE! ANYTHING! BUT IT HAD TO BE GAMBLING! IT’S  _ ILLEGAL _ !”

“IT’S THE ONLY THING I’M GOOD AT! AND IT’S BEEN THE ONLY THING KEEPING US ALIVE SINCE YOU CAN’T EVEN KEEP UP AT THAT LOWLIFE JOB OF YOURS!”

There was a fierce fight that night as Wheein’s mother beat her for using illegal means to scrape by. Wheein bore through the shouts and slaps through her tears, holding her swollen cheek. However, she had made up her mind. If her mother wasn’t going to be appreciative of her efforts, then she won’t force her to continue providing for her.

In the end, Wheein left her mother behind and assumed her own burdens on her back. It was perfect timing, too, as Wheein was about to enter secondary school. At the blooming age of fifteen, she set out with a backpack full of stationery, notebooks, three shells and a bead, and a deck of playing cards. As she sat on the bus looking out the window, she couldn’t help but feel a dull ache in her chest: she was starting a new life of her own, one that may lead into more criminal activities to survive, and her mother didn’t give a second thought about letting her go.

_ “HEY YOU BITCH! GIVE THAT BACK!” _

Wheein continued her hustles after school as usual, now adding on training herself to improve her pickpocketing skills. There were some kids and teachers who were well-off: that meant more money for her.

It was a rough ride in the beginning. Many of Wheein’s pickpocket attempts didn’t go to plan and she often found herself eventually getting cornered in an alley and beaten to a pulp, losing more money in the process. She would go back to the lousy flat she rented and treat her bruises while searching for new targets.

Her luck had finally decided to run out one day when she got caught pickpocketing a teacher and was finally reported to the local police station for her crimes. She was underage, living by herself without adult supervision, and continuously participating in hustles and pickpocketing. Her mother had been summoned to the station and, to this day, Wheein has never been able to shake the look of disgust on her mother’s face since that day.

“This isn’t my child,” she had insisted to the investigator.

“But ma’am, the documents--”

“I don’t care what the documents say. I don’t want this child under my roof. Send her to an orphanage or to parents who can set her straight.”

She then looked Wheein in the eye as she uttered, “I can’t believe I gave birth to this beast.”

None of the investigators had expected that Wheein, in that moment, unleashed all of the pent-up hate and anger against her mother. A few minutes later, a pen was stabbed into her mother’s eye and Wheein was restrained by three officers as she screamed obscenities at everyone present while her mother wailed in pain.

Looking back, it was the darkest time in Wheein’s life.

No sooner after that incident (after finishing her time in juvenile), Wheein disappeared from her school. Up until Wheein turned seventeen, she decided to keep a low profile, wandering around the city, choosing only one target a day unlike her usual sprees that she used to do daily. Her life had turned much more pitiful than the beggar that had used to reside in her hometown.

_ And if I gave up hustling altogether? _ , Wheein used to think to herself on long bus rides.  _ What would become of me then? Sure, I would be safe, a normal person, working a lame office job, settle down properly. Is it worth it for me to give up my one talent for security? Maybe I’m just meant to be a scoundrel for the rest of my life…. _

Eventually, Wheein unknowingly made her way out of Seoul to Jeju Island. The first people she encountered were a group of beggars in an alleyway. Deciding to join them as they looked similar to the beggar back at her hometown, she learns how to play Rummy from them. Her spirit is reignited day by day as she gets better at Rummy like how she did with hustling.

Thanks to the beggars, in less than a month, Wheein reformulates her hustling strategies and occasionally goes around to practice her Rummy skills on unsuspecting players. The rest is history.

\---

Wheein stands on the sidewalk for a while, gazing at the house she owned. It was a simple one-and-a-half storey house, fitted with a large bedroom, a bathroom with hot water, a clean kitchen, and a living room. Although it wasn’t much, the young girl who had lived in poverty would have seen this as a luxury she thought she could never achieve.

Wheein’s hands tightened on her red jacket, a prized possession, a symbol of her survival and all those years hard at work at hustles. She smiled to herself. It was amazing how far she had come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp there's Wheein's backstory. I'm sorry it's really short and kind of half-assed. I haven't been getting as much inspiration for this fic as I had in the beginning, but I'm going to keep trying and produce better chapters in the future when I can.
> 
> This fic, however, will be on temporary hiatus until further notice as I have to catch up on schoolwork. See you guys when I get back ;)


End file.
